1. Prior Art
The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant:
U.S PatentsKindPatent NumberCodeIssue DatePatentee3,720,289Mar. 13, 1973Moidenhauer4,120,380Oct. 17, 1978Mann5,595,262Jan. 21, 1997Martin5,647,456Jul. 15, 1997Gelb6,679,352B2Jan. 20, 2004GillespieU.S. Patent Application PublicationsKindPublication NumberCodePublication DateApplicant20040182648A1Sep. 23, 2004Ludwig20110250999A1Oct. 13, 2011NageleForeign Patent DocumentsCntryForeignKindApp orCodeDoc. Nr.CodePubl. DatePatenteeGB2456521AJul. 22, 2009DilworthGB2463948AApr. 7, 2010Stewart
2. Description of Related Art
As is well known in the art, the drive chain of a motorcycle should be periodically lubricated to prevent deterioration of O-rings, corrosion of chain components, premature wear, breakage, or other malfunctions. Motorcycle manufacturers typically recommend lubrication at few hundred mile intervals, while the motorcycle is at rest and ideally while the chain is warm. Complete lubrication of the chain is normally effected by elevating the motorcycle rear wheel off the ground in order to facilitate rotation of the rear wheel to expose all sections of the chain, or lubricating the chain in short sections by rolling the motorcycle to expose inaccessible areas of the chain.
Motorcycle riders often defer or overlook lubrication of the chain due to the time needed, messiness of the operation, or inconvenience especially on long trips, where the tools and resources are lacking to complete the chain lubrication. Deferral of chain lubrication creates a safety hazard if the chain breaks while the motorcycle is in operation and also increases the maintenance time and cost due to more frequent adjustments and pre-mature replacement of chains and sprockets.
Numerous attempts have been made to solve the foregoing problems. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 3,720,289, issued in the name of Moldenhauer, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety addresses these problems and the relevant art and proposes solutions that involve an oiler comprised of a reservoir and a manually operated plunger type pump feeding a jet nozzle, which is directed at the juncture of the lower chain and rear sprocket. However a lubricator made in accordance with this reference is associated with several drawbacks: (1) the operation of the unit needs the attention of the operator which could jeopardize the safety of operator as well as the operators of other vehicles or pedestrians if operated while the vehicle is in motion, (2) the application of a jet spray to the chain/sprocket area only covers a portion of the chain and may be interrupted by wind and directed at unintended parts of the motorcycle possibly creating a safety hazard, and (3) the frequency of lubrication is subject to the operator's judgment and memory, which could result in over oiling or under oiling the chain.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,380, issued in the name of Mann, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety also addresses these problems and the relevant art and proposes solutions that involve an oiler, housing a replaceable pressurized can of lubricant comprising a port and a plunger, which is mechanically operated by a cable mounted to the handlebars of the motorcycle. However a lubricator made in accordance with this reference is also associated with several drawbacks: (1) the operation of the unit needs the attention of the operator which could jeopardize the safety of operator as well as the operators of other vehicles or pedestrians if operated while the vehicle is in motion, (2) the pressurized can may emit gases that are harmful to the environment, (3) the mechanical cable requires periodic maintenance to prevent binding due to the plurality of moving parts, (4) only lubricants which are available in pressurized cans of the right size may be used, (5) the frequency of lubrication is subject to the operator's judgment and memory, which could result in over oiling or under oiling the chain, and (6) operation of a mechanism attached to the handlebar could impart unintended steering inputs, which could create a safety hazard.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,262, issued in the name of Martin, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety also addresses these problems and the relevant art and proposes solutions that involve an oiler that stores oil in a refillable reservoir with an associated electric pump, which is operable by a compact electrical switch mounted to the handlebars of the motorcycle, and delivers oil to the chain through a conduit between the electric pump and an applicator. However a lubricator made in accordance with this reference is also associated with several drawbacks: (1) the operation of the unit needs the attention of the operator which could jeopardize the safety of operator as well as the operators of other vehicles or pedestrians if operated while the vehicle is in motion, (2) the oiler is powered from the vehicle electrical system, which could interfere with proper operation of the motorcycle should an electrical fault become present in the electrical pump or wiring, and (3) the frequency of lubrication is subject to the operator's judgment and memory, which could result in over oiling or under oiling the chain.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,456, issued in the name of Gelb, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety also addresses these problems and the relevant art and proposes solutions that involve an oiler that utilizes a pressurized gas source to displace oil from a reservoir. The pressurized gas is allowed to flow via actuation of a momentary gas valve, located between the pressurized gas source and the reservoir. The lubricant is delivered from the reservoir to an applicator via a conduit. However a lubricator made in accordance with this reference is also associated with several drawbacks: (1) the operation of the unit needs the attention of the operator which could jeopardize the safety of the operator as well as the operators of other vehicles or pedestrians if operated while the vehicle is in motion, (2) the oiler is powered from a pressurized gas source which needs replacement when the gas is expended, (3) the momentary gas valve may leak through and cause an uncontrolled amount of lubricant to be expelled from the reservoir and over oil the chain, possibly creating a safety hazard, (4) the frequency of lubrication is subject to the operator's judgment and memory, which could result in over oiling or under oiling the chain, and (5) the device comprises a plurality of mechanical components that may be expensive to manufacture and maintain and take up valuable space on the motorcycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,352, issued in the name of Gillespie, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety also addresses these problems and the relevant art and proposes solutions that involve an oiler that stores oil in a refillable container comprising a manually operated flow control valve and a relief air vent. The oil is fed by gravity through the flow control valve and a flexible conduit positioned to drip oil onto the chain. However a lubricator made in accordance with this reference is also associated with several drawbacks: (1) the operation of the unit needs the attention, memory, and judgment of the operator to start and adjust the flow before operation and to secure the flow when the motorcycle is parked , (2) the oiler drips oil onto the chain and thus may not be uniformly distributed to all areas of the chain which require lubrication and the oil drops may be interrupted by wind and directed at unintended parts of the motorcycle possibly creating a safety hazard, and (3) the flow rate of oil is subject to the operator's judgment and memory, which could result in over oiling or under oiling the chain and may not be ideal for different riding conditions and speeds, requiring additional adjustments.
U.S. Patent Application No. 20040182648, published in the name of Ludwig, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety also proposes to address these problems and the relevant art and proposes solutions that involve an oiler that houses a replaceable pressurized can of lubricant comprising a trigger mechanism that is actuated by the operator to start and stop the flow of lubricant, which is directed at the drive chain. However a lubricator made in accordance with this reference is associated with several drawbacks: (1) the operation of the unit needs the attention of the operator which could jeopardize the safety of operator as well as the operators of other vehicles or pedestrians if operated while the vehicle is in motion, (2) the pressurized can may emit gases that are harmful to the environment, (3) only lubricants which are available in pressurized cans of the right size may be used, (4) the frequency of lubrication is subject to the operator's judgment and memory, which could result in over oiling or under oiling the chain, and (5) the application from a pressurized can to the chain only covers a portion of the chain and may be interrupted by wind and directed at unintended parts of the motorcycle possibly creating a safety hazard.
Great Britain Patent Document No. 2456521, published in the name of Dilworth, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety also addresses these problems and the relevant art and proposes solutions that involve an oiler comprising a reservoir, which comprises a filler tube, breather tube and feeds a valve comprising a spring-biased valve ball. When the vehicle is in motion, bumps and undulating ground surfaces cause the ball to lift from its seat to release oil down a feeder tube. However a lubricator made in accordance with this reference is associated with several drawbacks: (1) the frequency and amount of lubrication is subject to the roughness of the ground surface, which could result in over oiling the chain at slower speeds on rough surfaces or under oiling the chain at higher speeds on smooth surfaces, (2) the valve seat may wear over time, causing leakage past the spring-biased ball and over oiling the chain or the release of oil while the motorcycle is at rest, possibly creating a safety hazard or contaminating the environment, and (3) the vibration characteristics of an individual motorcycle may be influenced by many factors, such a suspension settings, rider weight, engine characteristics and state of tune which may cause more or less oil to be released than initially designed.
Great Britain Patent Document No. 2463948, published in the name of Stewart, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety also addresses these problems and the relevant art and proposes solutions that involve an oiler comprising a reservoir with an integrated electric pump and breather. The pump is actuated based on inputs from an electronic controller which utilizes vibration sensor inputs to determine if the vehicle is in motion. The controller is adapted to distinguish between vehicle vibrations while the vehicle is in motion and vehicle vibrations while the vehicle is stationary and receives power from the vehicle electrical system or may have a separate power supply. However a lubricator made in accordance with this reference is associated with several drawbacks: (1) the vibration characteristics for various vehicles may differ and/or change over time resulting in over oiling of the chain while the vehicle is at rest if the motorcycle exceeds the vibration thresholds of the controller, or under oiling while the vehicle is in motion if the motorcycle vibrations do not reach the vibration threshold, (2) the system is complex, expensive to manufacture, and prone to failures due to the plurality of electrical/electronic components, (3) if the oiler is powered from the vehicle electrical system, it could interfere with proper operation of the vehicle should an electrical fault become present in the electrical controller, pump or wiring, (4) if the oiler is powered from a separate power supply, it will have a limited range before replacement of the power source is needed (5) the amount of oil delivered to the chain does not vary with the vehicle speed, which may cause under oiling the chain at higher speeds or over oiling of the chain at lower speeds, and (6) the repair of the unit electrical/electronic components and sensors may be beyond the capabilities of the vehicle operator or mechanics who are not trained by the manufacturer, resulting in high maintenance and repair costs.
U.S. Patent Application No. 20110250999, published in the name of Nagele, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety also proposes to address these problems and the relevant art and proposes solutions that involve an oiler that comprises a rail device with a longitudinal side that may be brought to bear against the drive chain, which comprises a guide element region formed of solid lubricant which is transferred to the chain. However a lubricator made in accordance with this reference is associated with several drawbacks: (1) the mounting of the rail system may vary between different motorcycle models and manufacturers, requiring customization which may require specialized experience or training to be given by the manufacturer for safe and efficient installation, (2) solid lubricants which are formed into guide elements are generally not as readily available as liquid lubricants and may need to be acquired from the manufacturer at a greater expense than traditional liquid lubricants, (3) the rail device may need to be removed from the motorcycle to facilitate replacement of the solid lubricant guide element, (4) most motorcycle manufacturers recommend liquid lubricants and the use of solid lubricants may void some portions of the warranty, and (5) the replacement of the solid lubricant/guide element may require skill beyond that of the motorcycle operator, which increases maintenance costs.
Consequently, there is a need for providing a simplified, safe, and automated lubricator for a motorcycle drive chain that delivers lubricant while a motorcycle is in forward motion, wherein the lubricator overcomes problems with the prior art such as: (1) bulkiness, (2) the need for intervention or attention of the operator while the motorcycle is in operation, (3) mechanical and/or electrical complexity, (4) the need for specialized lubricant cans or specially formed solid lubricants, (5) imprecise lubrication due to operator judgment, (6) imprecise lubrication due to improper trigger mechanisms to start, regulate, or stop lubricant flow, (7) non-uniform distribution of lubricant to the drive chain, (8) the need to connect to the motorcycle systems, and (9) high maintenance and operational cost.